LA DODGERS: 2017 104-58, first place, lost to Houston in World Series
MANAGER Dave Roberts (third season)
ADDITIONS: OF Matt Kemp, RHP Tom Koehler, LHP Scott Alexander, LHP Henry Owens
SUBTRACTIONS: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Brandon McCarthy, LHP Tony Watson, LHP Luis Avilan, LHP Scott Kazmir, LHP Adam Liberatore, OF Andre Ethier, INF Charlie Culberson, OF Curtis Granderson, LHP Grant Dayton, OF Franklin Gutierrez, RHP Josh Ravin
OUTLOOK: The Dodgers are favorites to win a sixth consecutive NL West title with a roster that returns mostly intact. They lost the World Series to Houston in seven games, extending the franchise's drought to 30 years without a championship. Los Angeles had a quiet offseason, other than shedding the contracts of Gonzalez, Kazmir and McCarthy in an effort to lower payroll. The move brings the team under the luxury tax for the first time since 2012, which figures to pay off next winter when a highly anticipated group of big-name free agents becomes available. Kemp has been a surprise in his return to the club. He was acquired from Atlanta as part of the Dodgers' salary dump and figured to be traded. However, he has been a solid performer in spring training. Kershaw anchors the rotation, and Jansen is one of the best closers in the game. A multitude of veterans will be vying for playing time as a result of the team's heavy use of platoons and matchup-driven lineups. Turner suffered a wrist injury late in spring training and will miss the early portion of the season.

MILWAUKEE: 2017: 86-76, second place.
MANAGER: Craig Counsell (fourth season).
ADDITIONS: OF Lorenzo Cain, OF Christian Yelich, RHP Jhoulys Chacin, RHP Yovani Gallardo, LHP Boone Logan, RHP Matt Albers.
SUBTRACTIONS:2B Neil Walker, OF Lewis Brinson, RHP Matt Garza, RHP Wily Peralta, RHP Carlos Torres, RHP Jared Hughes, RHP Anthony Swarzak. OUTLOOK: Expectations are up after the Brewers finished one game out of the playoffs in what was supposed to be the second full season of a rebuild. Instead of signing a high-priced starter, General Manager David Stearns added Cain and Yelich as the team's key offseason acquisitions. The new outfielders are former Gold Glove winners who can help out the pitching staff by cutting down on extra-base hits at Miller Park. The rotation should be bolstered later in the season by the return of right-hander Jimmy Nelson, who is recovering from right shoulder surgery in September after getting hurt while diving back to first while running the bases. Whether the Brewers repeat their 2017 success and challenge the Cubs in the NL Central could come down to starting pitching. A trade drawing from the team's outfield depth might help during the season.

PREVIEW

Dodgers look to clean up their act against Brewers in Game 2

MILWAUKEE -- The Los Angeles Dodgers came up empty against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, but after rallying to within a run in the ninth inning, the Dodgers are ready to get back to work in Game 2 on Saturday afternoon at Miller Park.

"We did some good things tonight," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers' 6-5 loss in Game 1. "The goal is to win a baseball game, but I think that it shows the compete in our guys."

If the Dodgers want to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole in the best-of-seven series, they'll need to play much better defense than they did in the opener. Los Angeles committed four errors Friday night, two of them by catcher Yasmani Grandal in the third inning.

Grandal, who was also charged with two passed balls, was called for catcher's inteference on what would have been a lineout by Jesus Aguilar and then a missed catch on Hernan Perez's sacrfice fly as Milwaukee took a 2-1 lead.

"The catcher's interference, that was something that very freak thing," Roberts said. "And the relay, it's a play that I know that Yasmani will say he should have made. You know, giving up bases, that's pretty uncharacteristic, but it's just one of those things that unfortunately didn't make the plays that I know he expects to make."

Saturday's matchup features two left-handed staters for the second straight game.

Hyun-Jin Ryu gets the nod for Los Angeles after an impressive showing in Game 1 of the NLDS. Starting in place of Clayton Kershaw, Ryu held the Atlanta Braves to four hits -- allowing only one runner to get bast first base -- while striking out eight in seven shutout innings.

Ryu has only allowed one run in his last 26 innings and will face Milwaukee for just the second time in his career. The last meeting came more than five years ago when he held the Brewers to two runs in 7 1/3 innings of a 9-2 Dodgers victory on May 22, 2013.

"The Brewers have changed over the period of time (since his last start against them)," Ryu said during a Friday afternoon media session. "I don't think there's really a need to compare them with the team that I pitched five years ago, but they're a good team.

"Obviously, I would have to prepare accordingly, but I think I'm ready to go."

Left-hander Wade Miley gets the start as Milwaukee looks to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. He was outstanding his last time out, scattering three hits and a walk in 4 2/3 scoreless innings last Sunday as the Brewers wrapped up a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies in the NL Division Series at Coors Field.

Miley hasn't worked more than five innings since Sept. 4, but after having to use all of his high-leverage relievers to hold off the Dodgers in Game 1, Brewers manager Craig Counsell isn't worried about a short-handed relief corps.

"You won't see Josh (Hader) tomorrow, for sure," Counsell said. "He's got two days off and then he'll be good to go. Everybody else we're good with. We're in good shape tomorrow. Corbin Burnes did not pitch today and was not up. We got possibilities, a lot of possibilities for tomorrow, so good stuff."